Dressing Up in Copenhagen with Pernille Teisbaek

Pernille Teisbaek is the very definition of a self-made influencer. And with 500,000 followers on Instagram, you’d think she might subscribe to a “more is more” ethos. But paring down the contents of one’s closet is just part of dressing up your life like a Dane—and no one does Scandi style better than Teisbaek.

A Copenhagen native, Teisbaek, 33, focuses on timeless pieces that are in keeping with the famed eco-conscious mentality of Scandinavia. “We are very concerned with the environment, particularly when it comes to our food, our skin, and our children—and it’s something I hope will also influence the entire clothes industry,” she writes in her first book, Dress Scandinavian: Style Your Life and Wardrobe the Danish Way. The Scandinavian aesthetic, combining classic and informal silhouettes, also happens to be easily integrated into any wardrobe. “It’s a style that signals confidence and self-assurance—and rightfully so,” she writes.

The book pays homage to iconic fashion forebears, including Coco Chanel and former head of French ready-to-wear label Céline, Phoebe Philo. But while French fashion has long epitomized high style, the Danish balance a fondness for risk with their practical nature, necessary for dressing the part in such a cold climate. For Teisbaek, to emulate elegance without effort is the goal.

In addition to cofounding a marketing agency called Social Zoo, Teisbaek recently designed her first mini-collection, a collaboration with Copenhagen-based fashion house By Malene Birger. Synthesizing the easy yet polished aesthetic that she celebrates in Dress Scandinavian, each item in the collection marks a definitive piece—a satin skirt, a cashmere sweater, a dress slip—of a versatile wardrobe. “It’s all about balancing our desire to stand out,” she writes. “Feeling comfortable and being dressed appropriately for the occasion.”

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